Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 263 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

eee b am on the other side, without further inci- ent The strange person was not in sight, so Kate batook herself toher own home, where, to her »urprise she found sitting upon the doorstep the unknown! In face she was very pretty; a wild type of beauty was hers, not often encountered, the features being firmly cast, and set off by a big pair of dusky brown eyes, aad a mouth of win- ning sweetness, here was an expression upon her face, how- ever, which betokened that at some period in her life she had been addicted to dissipation, or bad met with some great disappointment or serrow. Her hair, as it flowed from beneath her snow white, jaunty sombrero, was of dark brown color and very luxuriant. Her dress consisted of top-boots of a dainty pattern, met by light colored trowsers, and a eortof fringed gray hunting-shirt, that reached nearly to the knees. In a belt, around her waist, was a pair of bandsome revolvers, and a sheath knife, while at her feet lay a repeating rifle of a handsome ge the sights being set with tiny, glitter- diamonds. She was conversing with Mrs, Laurel, when Kate came up, but arose from the doorway, to allow the latter to enter. “Sit still,” Kate ordered. ‘I am too warm, from rowing, to wish to go indoors.” ‘Kate, my child, where have you been?’ Mrs. Laurel's reproving voice asked, from with- u. “Ob! out for a little lark!” Kate responded, with a laugh. ‘‘ While you were dozing in your chair, mother, that ruffian, Wild Walt, came along and insulted me by attempting to kiss me, when up came a dashing stranger, in real dramatic style, and attempted not to kiss me, but, instead, knocked the ruffian down, and rescued. me, like areal hero—just think of it! He then fought a duel with Wild Walt, and shot both of his ears off; after which, he wish- ing nt cross the lake, I rowed him over, in my ay ‘*Do you know who that man was, miss?’ the young woman with the rifio asked, looking at Kate as though she would read ber through. “Well, no, only that he gave his name as Captain Pdker,” Kate replied, innocently enough, whereat the other beauty laughed sar- castically. “You are sure?” she asked. ‘Of course I am!” Kate retorted, not exact- ly pleased at being questioned the second time. ‘Well, that man was not Captain Poker at all, but instead a person of somewhat more no- toriety, allowing that such a person as Poker does really exist,” the young woman said. ‘*That man, if Iam not greatly mistaken, was wood Dick, of road-agent fame!” “Deadwood Dick!” Kate gasped, puttin a8 ber bands, ‘‘ Now isn’t that just deli btfu wish Ihad known it at the time, for ’m dead in Jove with Deadwood Dick!” “Kate! Kate!” chided Mrs. Laurel. While the young woman with the riflelaughed —ratber harsh! y it appeared. ‘You should first find out if some one else has not got a stronger claim,” she remarked. e at I’m not mistaken, Deadwood Dick is mar- ‘“Indeed? Who to, pray?” ‘To one whom you may have heard of as ae .mity Jane,” was the calm reply. “ That's “ie “Your? Kate ojaculated. “Yes, me,” wasthe reply. ‘‘I am Calamity ‘ann, and I am the wife of Deadwood Dick, re- #rted jo have been drowned in this lake.” Kate looked at the speaker searchingly and with evi.iint disappointment. “Tf this is so, why did your husband not ore me to row back to shore when you called beckoned to h m?’ she finally asked. **To understand that, you would have to learn what I do uot just now chocse to explain,” Calamity auswerod, quietly. ‘(Suffice to say that Deadwood Dick is my husband, and cir- cumstances have separated us. Some time I ag Sy xe umore. Until then, adieu.” ed up her rifle and walked off up the = os every movement graceful and confi- Wien she arrived at Solomons’s saloon she en- po and ste up to the bar, behind which aaah A toa imse]lf now presided. Bb vane annyhow?” the pros- "Tow, me ‘*'Vot you come here tead of dresses?” ne of yous ness, Fritsy,” wes the } oe Dick’s Divide. ee eee ee geet eee em ee ee me ee - - - ee ee — woman’s retort. ‘‘ Just trot out some of your best wine here, or I'll put a bead in your pate!” Solomons put up his hand, ‘*My hevings! vat it sad girl!” he ejaculated, staring bard at her. ou don’d vas drink?’ ‘*Of course I do, you old Jewsharp, an’ ef you don’t pass over some 0’ yer best Catawba— | in short, Pil depopulate your ranch in the jerk | of alamb’s tail! I’m bad, lam, and my name is Calamity Jane!” And with this announcement she brought her white little fist down on the counter with a force that made things jingle, and at the same time attracted attention from all parts of the room. “Shimminy dunder lighnink! Sdop dot, vil you?” Solomons exclaimed, hastily reaching for the wine bottle. ‘* You can haff anyt?ings you vant, ’cept monish, only don’d make so mooch noise about it.” ‘“‘Tho’t you’d come to time!” Calamity said, witha gria. ‘‘ When I get mad, I make smoke rise above the hills, I tell ye! Did ye ever heer tell o’ me, Jewsharp?” ae x: tam, no! und I never vants to,” Solo- mons honestly declared. ‘‘ You vas der pad- dest, viciket voman I neffer see. I vish you go right avay oud.” ‘‘ But I won’t, you see,” was the inde assurance. “I'm in town on bizness, say, galoots, are ye dry?” ndent am! CHAPTER VI. CALAMITY SHOWS HER HAND. To ask any citizen of Doomsday if he was dry was the signal of a geveral drought; hence, when Calamity Jane propounded the question, full two score of eager mortals slipped into position near the bar. ‘Yes, gal, | opine we don’t keer ef we do,” an old miner said, with a grin. ‘*’Tain’t often we git a chance ter juggle family disturbance wi’ sech a chirp an’ purty irl as you.” ‘‘Why, I guess you’re a little mistaken, ain’t ye?” Calamity chuckled. ‘‘ It’s Old Dutchy’s treat heer, not mine; so lavish your compli- ments on him.” Solomons put up his hands in horror. “Dot ish not so! dot ish a lie!” he cried, vociferously. ‘‘I never vas ask nopoddies to drink mit me, so help me! Dot vimmens vas lie mit me!” ‘* See ih Dutchy!” Calamity said, priors bim stern] va in the face, ‘* do you mean to tel me you didn’t desire me to call up the galoots and treat them at your expense?” “Holy Moses, no!” Solomon fairly howled, calculating with lightning thought how man dollars and cents he would be out by suc liberality—bitherto unknown of him, ‘‘7] neffer vas say noddinks of der kind. I shware py der Propbet. I neffer dreats nopody. I pays monish for my goods, und I sells dem for cash !” ‘‘ Durned ef that’ll work,” several of the crowd declared. ‘“‘ You've got to set ’em up band- some, in honor of ther arrival o’ Calamity Jane hyar, or down comes yer ranch, ker-bang!” ‘‘That’s the ticket! Old Jewsharp shal] stand treat or we'll turn the sheba om into an orpban asylum,” Calamity decla with a smile. ‘* But'seeing as he le so precious afraid of losing a cent, Pll go havers with him, and spill the ei - see who shajl set ’°em up. What say, vi ‘* Mine name ish Jacob—not Levi,” Solomons answered, ‘‘and since you pring so much troubles in mine place, I vill yoost shake you und beat you.” He was evidently glad of the opportunity to have a chance for his life, so to speak; so he produced the oon and threw three times, scoring Regs eightee 'm ected, 6 throwing. and making ‘put fourteen. on me. Now, then—” st gp again, and turned up three aces— twenty-one “ Shimminy gracious! vot ish dot? Twenty- one! Vel, I tie dot!’ Solumons cried, excitedly. But, he didn’t. Only twelve points turned up. ‘‘ Horse apiece!” cried Calamity. ‘* Throw back, Levi! If you throw twenty I’m bound to go you one better. Smack your lips, gents, in anteipation of drinking to the health of our Jewsharpic host.” Twenty did the proprietor of the Big Bonanza throw, with a vengeance. ‘“Goot!” was his comment, as he passed the box to Calamity. ‘‘ Beat that if you can, young vimmens!” “Just like eating chicken salad,” the Girl | Calamity averred, “ Horse _x=LS—_ LL LLL I i ~ Oe ee Oe SH soe me -— -- +. | sport assured, rolling out three aces the firss time, with no ye effort. ‘“‘There you are, Dutchy! Til take a jittle more sweet Cat- awaba for mine, Nominate your medicine, feller-citizens!” Mh seit seized the dice box and hurled it ope y across the room, tam, I neffer shook dice again, so long ash I ier” he cried. “I am out shoost von week’s profit! I vish I neffer see you, young | vimmens|” K ‘* Guess thar’s a few others around this ’ere terrestrial footstool in the same fix!” Calamity chuckled, as she imbibed a glass of wine, ‘‘ I’m the fly gal from Fargo—the cute from Carson, you bet! Any one who tries to get up in the morning to get ahead of your uncle, don’t want Ser stop to button their gaiters with a hairpin, I tell you!” And with this declaration Calamity turned from the bar, and sauntered about the aoe taking an inventory of everything that w worth looking at. In one corner, with his head bound up with blood-stained rags, sat the Tiger, Wild Walt. A, more forsaken looking wretch it would have been hard to find. colonel!” she accosted with an amused smile, ‘*What’s the matterf Have you had your head in a threshing machine or ep tryin’ to shave yourself with a grass scythe?” ‘‘None of your cussed business!” the Tiger edges with an ugly oath. ‘“‘l’m a bad ma am, 80 keep away from me, or you'll ge seriously hurt “You look bad!” Calamity retorted, serene- ‘In fact, I may say you are positively the umanity I have en- countered fora long time. But, joking aside, who chewed off your ears?” Wild Walter fairly gasped with rage, and fumbled blindly about his belt for a revolver A ‘*Let up on that!” Calamity warned, in a stern tone; ‘I mean you no harm, unless I am provoked to salivaticg you. I ask you a civil qu uestion, and you will save funeral expenses, you do not get up ng your ear about it. Do you know who I am ““Cuss ye, no!” ‘Well, Vil inform you. I am Calamit Jane, the thoroughbred. and the wife of Dead- wood Dick, who shot off your ears awhile ago, aud who fled at my approach. To him you have to offer up thanks for the loss of your organs of hearing!” ‘*The devil you say! Deadwood Dick is down at the bottom of jt? Lake, this year or over!” the ruffian grow cd, € eying the shapely woman savagely. Calamity Jaughed. ot ae u een that you believe more than I do!” she declared eadwocd Dick is im- perisbable; bis life is F teal He bas risen rom the flames; be has been buried alive; the oods' have surrounded bim; he bas been in- gulfed in quicksands; he bas stared into the eyes of death hundreds of times, but lives yet, and [ live, on bis trai] to hunt him down.” Had the Tiger possessed ears, he would pro- bably have pricked them up at this—so to speak—but, being deprived of the useful ap- penareee he could only manifest his curiosity y the expression of his ugly countenance. ny you and he aire out, eh?’ he queried Rather!” Calamity replied, dryly. ‘That is, he deserted me, and fied from me, without = cause, and J am on bis trail like a blood- ound, to hunt him down and balk his every design until he shall acknowledge the wrong be has done me.’ The Tiger’s interest increased. " And s0 you believe the cuss is alive, do ou!’ me Just as much as you believe that you've lost your ears,” was the answer. ‘* He never sunk with his horse in the lake as has been reported, I’ve teard the story, and discredit that part of it which claims that Deadwood Dick was drowned. He can swim like a fish under water, aud I’m as well satisfied that it was he who played Captain Poker in Doomsday, to-night, as I am that I stand here!” ‘‘ And what is all this to mef” the Tiger de- manded, eying her in evident curiosity. fe good deal!” Calamity responded. ‘‘ Yom are “a in Doomsday to capture Deadwood Dick Divide, which supposedly lies at the bot- tom of the lake, and may or may not be equal to an immense fortune. 1 am bere upon the track of my recreant husband, sworn to brin him back to me, or bring him into the power of the law he has so long ed and defied. To CO G gS) ly. baddest specimen of OL ae) im (E (0)